About Us
US Poker was built for one purpose: to help US poker players work out where offshore poker sites are actually worth their time and money, and where they aren't. There's no shortage of operators claiming to be the best. Our job is to look past the marketing and compare them on the things that matter once you sit down at a table.
Why offshore poker sites, specifically
Online poker in the US is regulated at the state level, and there's no single federal framework covering the whole country. That leaves a patchwork: a handful of states run their own licensed, ring-fenced poker networks, while everyone outside those states — or anyone looking for bigger traffic, faster tables, or formats their home state doesn't offer — tends to look at offshore operators instead. This site focuses on that offshore segment: sites like Coinpoker, Bovada, Ignition, Americas Card Room and the rest that accept US players but operate under licences issued outside the country. That distinction matters, and we don't gloss over it.
How we put this site together
Nobody on our team plays professionally for a living, and we don't publish testimonials or claim to have deposited real money into every account we cover. What we do is research each operator's licensing, banking options, game traffic, software, and promotional terms, then compare that against what a recreational player, a regular grinder, or someone chasing a specific bonus actually needs. Our rankings and ratings are editorial judgments based on that research — not paid placements. A brand's position on this site is never for sale, and commission arrangements with an operator never move it up or down the list.
What we actually look at
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Traffic and player pool | Determines how easy it is to find a game at your stakes, day or night |
| Game variety | No Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, fast-fold formats, Sit & Gos, MTTs and Spin & Go-style games |
| Rake and rakeback | Directly affects long-run profitability for regular players |
| Welcome bonuses and terms | Headline figures mean little without the wagering or clearing requirements attached |
| Banking | Deposit and withdrawal methods, processing times, and any fees |
| Software and mobile experience | Client stability, HUD/tracking policy, and app quality on iOS and Android |
| Licensing and security | Where the operator is licensed and how it handles player funds |
How we handle bonuses and promotions
Every operator we list attaches conditions to its welcome offer — a deposit match percentage, a maximum bonus amount, a playthrough or clearing requirement, sometimes a time limit. We try to state those terms next to the offer rather than burying them, and we'd encourage you to read an operator's own terms before depositing, since bonus structures change more often than review cycles do. A bonus is never framed as free money on this site: it always requires a deposit, and often a wagering commitment, before any of it is withdrawable.
What "offshore" means for you as a player
Offshore operators are licensed by regulators outside the US — commonly in jurisdictions such as Curaçao or Malta — rather than by a US state gaming commission. That means the consumer protections and dispute-resolution routes available to players on state-regulated sites don't automatically apply. We report each operator's stated licensing and security measures as part of our research, but we don't claim any US regulatory status on their behalf, and we'd rather be upfront that the landscape is unregulated in the way a state-licensed site is not. Availability also varies by state and can change; check an operator's own terms for the states or countries it currently accepts.
Poker is entertainment, not income
We write about rake, rakeback, and bonus value because they affect the experience and the numbers, not because poker is a reliable way to make money. Results vary, most players lose over time, and skill reduces but never removes the risk of losing your deposit. If poker stops being fun, or you find yourself chasing losses or betting more than you can afford, that's a sign to step back. You can find support resources and a helpline on our responsible gambling page, and the national helpline 1-800-GAMBLER is available around the clock. This site is intended for players aged 21 and over in states where 21 is the minimum legal gambling age, and 18 and over where a lower age applies; it is not intended for anyone under those ages.
Commercial disclosure
US Poker may earn a commission when readers sign up through links on this site. That relationship never determines how an operator is ranked or reviewed — our ratings reflect our own research into traffic, terms, banking, and player experience, not advertising spend. Full details of our terms are set out on our Terms and Conditions page.
Get in touch
If you've spotted outdated information, have a question about a review, or want to flag an issue with an operator we cover, we want to hear about it. Reach us through the Contact Us page and we'll look into it.